Last Hope
by LadyAshLeaves
Summary: Esmiel is the daughter of a wanderer taken in by the elves. Possibly the last of her kind she must face many trials... Please read and enjoy.
1. A New Race is Discovered

Disclaimer: Ooooh I'm writing a disclaimer! Wow I've always wanted to do this. Ladies and Gentlemen very little of this work belongs to me. I own only Laitha, Esmiel, their race and the unnamed elf I may own more later but that's all for now. Wow.  
  
Last Hope  
  
She was found by an elvish patrol. She had been staggering exhaustedly through the forest heading for Rivendell. None of them had ever seen her like before. Though her build and facial characteristics were similar to that of the elves. She lacked their upswept ears and pale complexion. Her skin was a golden brown and her hair was redder then flames, curling into ringlets that rose around her face like a burning storm. It was often said her hair was a reflection of her personality, fiery and wild. When she came to the elves, seeking refuge she said, she spoke elvish with a peculiar accent, but it wore away as the decades passed. She told the elves very little of her people. Only that they lived far to the east and that she had travelled great distances, over mountains whose names the elves had never heard, through terrain more treacherous than any could imagine. What the name that had been given to her at birth had been she never told, claiming that it would have no meaning to them and that it was a symbol of a life she was no longer apart of. She told them to call her Laitha, which in the language of her people meant something similar to without past and wanderer. They accepted her and allowed her to live amoung them and learn their ways. The elves soon came to realise she also differed from them in her magical abilities, though she could vaguely grasp the concepts of elven magic she preferred to use her own which was more subtle and less visible. She could sense the emotions of any being elf, man or dwarf even animals could not hide the feelings from her. Laitha said that some of her people could also pass feelings on to others, but that she had no talent for it. With the talent of passing on feelings sometimes came the talent of speaking mind to mind, which was only possessed by a minority of her people. Also she could move objects large and small without coming into contact with them. This talent she said was most common in her people and was learnt before birth and that it was the bane of every mother to come into a small child's room to find everything, even objects from the highest shelves, scattered around the floor. Sometimes with this talent came the ability to transport oneself instantaneously from place to place, Laitha said that this ability had become more and more rare amoung her people. The last 'talent' of her people was the ability to change shapes. It was a very rare and only those who possessed all of the lesser talents ever managed to achieve it.  
  
She lived peacefully amoung the elves becoming close friends with Lord Elrond Halfelven and his sons and daughter. She would often join the hunting parties or wander the woods by herself. She had a quick wit and a fiery temper. After living with the elves for a century, yes a century, (she was often asked if her people, like the fair ones, were immortal. A question which she would always answer by saying, "What is time to my people? We live as long as we need to and then pass peacefully, we hope, into whatever comes after death.") Laitha married an elf, whose name though not forgotten is no longer often spoken, and they lived happily for many years. She bore him a beautiful girl child who bore much resemblance to her mother but was also definitely elvish. She was a solemn baby not often crying for she had other means by which to call her mother. The talent of Laitha's people it seemed bred true. She would lie in her cradle smiling at the flowers and glass beads floating above her head (a present from her mother.) The name they chose for her was Esmiel, in the tongue of Laitha's people it meant hope and last one, it also sounded suitably elvish for it to be accepted by them. Esmiel grew from a solemn baby into a happy child quick to laugh but not often silly, she had a strong grasp of right and wrong and wouldn't stand for bullying or teasing. She was very perceptive of people's emotions and never failed to brighten a person's spirits. Esmiel loved her mother dearly and they would spend many hours wandering the woods, Laitha teaching her young daughter the ways of the elves and he own people as well. Her father would watch the fondly and carefully taught Esmiel to be and accomplished archer and at her insistence a more then competent swordswomen. The years passed and Esmiel grew up as children have a habit of doing. Then on the summer of her twenty second year, Laitha, Esmiel's beloved mother, became sick. It was a strange sickness there was no fever or headache only a heavy tiredness that cut deep to the bone. The best physicians were called and many remedies were tried but it was all to no avail. Late one night in midsummer Esmiel was woken from here bed by her mother's mind call. She raced to Laitha's sickbed for the ability of her mother to mind call could come only with the closeness of death. When she reached Laitha's chamber's she slowed to a walk stifling tears. The sight that awaited her was almost too much to bear her once strong proud mother was reduced to a frail waif of a woman who was using all her energy just to breathe. "Esmiel, don't grieve yet your pain hurts not only you, I feel it also, do not let it sully our last moments together," she choked out painfully. "Mother how will I live without you, how will father live," Esmiel wailed, - "He's an elf and elves are not accustomed to losing their loved ones." I am not accustomed to losing my loved ones! She screamed silently. "Be strong my daughter for you must hear my last words." Esmiel painfully gathered her wits and blocked her grief from her mother. "Why do you think I left my. our people Esmiel? It is not a thing one does lightly. "They are gone you must know this daughter for you are the only hope for our race to continue. You must be strong, the darkness is returning to the world and you must concentrate on the task that will be placed before you, for you are as your name says the last one, our last hope. I want you to swear that you will take up the task when it finds you and stick to it to the bitter end. Swear it Esmiel." "I I swear." she stammered stunned. Laitha smiled weakly "Know this Esmiel you are more then equal to this task and I could not be more proud of you but you must NOT lose hope for that may be all you will have left. The Darkness is growing. Tell your father that I love him." And with that her eyes closed and she breathed no more. The next morning Esmiel was found deep in sleep kneeling next to the bed, still holding her mother's hand.  
  
Over the following years Esmiel and her father grew further and further apart. He seemed unable to look at her without seeing Laitha and whenever she tried to comfort him and to pass on to him small hope and peace he blocked her, feeling that he no longer deserved to feel such feelings without his beloved wife. When turn five and twenty Elrond approached her. She could sense sadness about him and asked what was troubling him. "Your father left for the Gray Havens this morning," Elrond sighed, "He asked me to make sure you were housed and provided for. I wish for you to know that you are forever welcome here as your mother and father were. They were true friends of mine and you are like both of them in many ways. Be strong dear child time eases most grief." He smiled and though she felt a deep loss, she returned his smile and accepted his offer.  
  
A/N: Allrykiday um that's it so far. I had more but it got deleted by accident when I tried to send this to Barrowdowns. :'( they turned me down. I was going to send Esmiel along on the Ring Quest but since I deleted all mention of that, I'm not sure if I want to do it anymore. Hmmmm, I am open to any ideas, please review. Really please do I'm new and terrified. first fic ever. please any feedback is cool even if you just want to scream violently at me. ^_^ oh well more later byesies. 


	2. Beginning to Learn

A/N Thanks to Nurvingiel and Elessar*Lover for reviewing I really appreciated it. I'm still open to any suggestions. See how you like this chap.  
  
Once again the years passed as they have a habit of doing. The immortal elves passed through the centuries unaffected, but her mothers dying words lay heavily on Esmiel's mind.  
  
A task would be laid before her? A knot formed in her stomach every time she remembered those words. Deep within her being she knew she would recognise this task when it came, but her mind was filled with a deep feeling of insecurity and uncertainty. Though she tried, she found difficulty keeping these feelings away from those around her.  
  
It was Elladan, the youngest of Elrond's twin sons, who noticed. Elladan and Elrohir had always been sensitive to her, due to the bond they shared as twins, which always seemed to her very like a trait of her mothers people.  
  
The twins had returned from a recent foray with the Rangers of the Wilds. Esmiel had shaken herself out of her brooding state and gone out to meet them, as the three of them had been close friends since her father had left and they had always taken the time to speak with her when she was a child.  
  
"And where did the world sweep you of to this time, my friends?" she said as she embraced them in greeting.  
  
"Far to the East." said Elrohir, his eyes filled with excitement, "Past the Iron Mountains, we came to a vast wasteland, which even elven eyes have difficulty seeing across. Far in the distance, on the horizon rose a range of jagged mountains. We have named them the Mountains of Long Past," he continued in a gentler tone, "For your mother as she must have travelled through them to reach Rivendell."  
  
It was luck really that Elladan caught the fleeting spurt of grief and deep worry coming from Esmiel, before she contained her feelings once again. Elladan had learnt long ago that when Esmiel felt something very strongly it could sometimes be felt by those close to her.  
  
Her grief he could understand easily, Esmiel was only early into her third century, and Laitha's memory would ache for a long time to come. It was the almost painful apprehension that confused him, why would the memory of her mother cause such worry? His curiosity peaked when, instead of remaining to speak with them longer, as was her habit, Esmiel excused herself and left with a small frown on her brow.  
  
.  
  
With her feet tucked underneath her and her head resting on her knees, Esmiel stared from the small garden, at the waterfalls running down to the ford of Bruinen. Even with her mind as occupied as it was, she sensed his presence before she heard him.  
  
"A peaceful evening to you Elladan." She said looking over her shoulder at him as he appeared along the small garden path. He sat down on the bench near her looking out to the distance.  
  
"What is this weight on your mind Esmiel?" He asked quietly. "Even you cannot hide that something is troubling you deeply. You need not fear telling me, have I not known you since you were a child?" She sighed heavily, lifting her eyes to looking into the unfathomable blackness of the night sky. Many minutes later she spoke.  
  
"Do you know what she told me, my mother, the night she died." Esmiel said turning slightly to face him. "She told me that I am the last to carry the blood of her people and that for their memory to survive I will have to face some great task. Yet she would tell me nothing about it and I know in the core of my being that I am not ready for it. I feel lost and totally alone without her, there is a great part of me that is like her people and it is a part of me that I cannot control and she is not here to teach me. I feel hope, grief, love and hate that is not mine, but this only a tiny fraction of what is building up within me."  
  
Elladan was silent for a long time, looking searchingly into her wide green eyes. While she was speaking he had felt her grief and confusion strongly almost as if it had been his own. He felt exhausted and she received feelings from people all the time, every day.  
  
"Well," he began slowly, "You'll have to try and learn how to control this part of you then."  
  
She smiled tiredly, "You make it sound as easy as learning to play the harp or to sing with the choruses."  
  
"We'll just have to try and figure out how it works then won't we?" he smiled at her.  
  
"We?" she said, raising one eyebrow and smiling.  
  
.  
  
"Try to regain the meditative state of mind again Esmiel. Let's try this again." Elladan said tiredly. He had too admit that he was almost totally lost. Magic and meditation and never factored largely in his life and the books and scrolls he had found on the subject had been either too complicated or too obscure. He had dredged up some of the old memories of basic elvish healing he and Elrohir had received from their father when they were but elflings.  
  
Esmiel, who had been coming in and out of the "meditative state of mind" all morning, stood up and glared at Elladan.  
  
"It's not going to work, that state of mind is reached to block out feelings, how and I supposed to transmit feelings to others if I can't feel them myself. Sometimes I wonder why we're even doing this."  
  
"We're doing this, because your mother used to say that transmitting feelings was the next step after sensing the feelings of others and of course telekinesis." He said rolling his eyes upwards.  
  
"Telekinesis!" Esmiel muttered under her breath, I'll show him telekinesis! Elladan turned back to face Esmiel only to see an armload or so of leaves explode in his face. He burst out laughing at the innocent look on his face.  
  
Esmiel continued glare at him. He shouldn't be laughing! Then something in her glare changed, it felt almost as if all the exasperation was seeping out of her in a steady stream. She felt unexpectedly weak and empty her legs gave out beneath her and she fell to her knees.  
  
At the sound of her falling Elladan turned. Suddenly he was fed up and angry. What did she think she was doing! Shock registered at his uncharacteristic turn of mood, she'd made him angry!  
  
"Esmiel you did it!" he yelled, excitedly, he hurried over to where she sat. She looked up at him blankly.  
  
"What?" her voice was very small.  
  
"You did it. You gave me your anger." He said more gentle helping her up to the bench.  
  
"That's nice." She said vaguely, "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to sleep now." 


	3. Exercises and Irritations

A/N Well I'm back, sorry I took so long to update, Aussie summer holidays and we had lots of family events and blah blah. Thanks again to Nurvingiel and Elessar*Lover. Nurvingiel thanks for picking up my mistakes and being tactful about my stuff ups. Elessar*Lover your reviews always make me smile :D ^_^  
  
Weeks and much practice later Esmiel was becoming almost as proficient with transmitting feelings as she was at receiving them. She came to realise that while she could suggest feelings to others, she couldn't force a person who was unwilling to accept her suggestions and feel as such.  
  
If someone were in a deep terrible depression she could not suddenly awaken joy in them, unless they were ready to feel it. Also, while she could calm a person who flew into a spontaneous rage and even help them to forgive, she would have to work long and hard to spark acceptance let alone forgiveness in one who harboured a deep and bitter resentment.  
  
Elladan had, in a burst of creative thought - or more likely pure mischief - imagined all sorts of impossible trials which might be involved in the task Esmiel's mother had spoken of. He had also come up with various exercises which he claimed would hone her skills for her tremendous task.  
  
.  
  
"Alright," said Elladan, pacing before her in military fashion. "The first and most important lesson is stealth. Not only do you not wish to be seen by the enemy-"  
  
"Wait just a moment! Elladan what enemy?" She said raising her hands, palms up.  
  
Elladan looked flustered for a moment, gave her a mock glare, and then began to pace and prattle again. "Not only must you not be seen by the enemy but they must not realise you are modifying their emotions. To achieve this goal we - you - must practice.  
  
"Practice" in Elladan's mind involved concealing themselves in Rivendell's vast gardens, and awaiting unsuspecting elves whose emotions Esmiel was to tamper with. At first it was difficult to suggest emotions without the recipient becoming aware of her.  
  
The first three elves who wandered past the small grove of young ash trees and broad leafed bushes, in which Esmiel and Elladan were concealed, looked strangely in their direction before hurrying away. The fourth, a motherly lady elf, looked about her curiously for a while then wandered calmly off.  
  
Esmiel great triumph however was later that night. She had drifted into a tired doze, the effort of transmitting feelings was still taxing, when she was softly woken by Elladan. In the pale moonlight she saw two young elflings, who had recently declared their feelings for one another, creeping towards the ash grove where Esmiel and Elladan were concealed.  
  
"Do you think you can make them go elsewhere!" Elladan hissed, "Otherwise we'll be here well into the night, or they will find us!"  
  
Esmiel sighed tiredly. Focusing on the elf maiden, she gathering feelings of disinterest and subtle discomfort, which wasn't terribly difficult as she had had bark and rocks sticking into her almost all day.  
  
As she watched the girls face took on a small frown of distaste and pulled her consort to one of the many secluded arbours that dotted the gardens.  
  
"Well, that is terribly useful," Elladan said with a grin, "You could probably hide from even elven trackers with that trick."  
  
Esmiel stood slowly and curtseyed mockingly, dusting the day's bark and dust from her skirt.  
  
"Oh thank you kind lord," she said offering him a hand to stand, feeling warm with satisfaction and his praise. "Now can we please leave this place before, someone sees us and believes that we were here for the same reason as them," Esmiel nodded in the direction the couple had gone.  
  
"Of course," he said, face expressionless, "That would be entirely inappropriate." Then he grinned and took her proffered hand.  
  
They parted with promise to meet again the next day, as Elladan had more "exercises."  
  
.  
  
Esmiel shook her head in disbelief, she was sitting in Elladan's living chamber, Elrohir was sitting nearby in a high backed chair. Elladan lounging on a cushioned seat was spinning the most outrageously fictional tale about a recent foray, just past the ford of Bruinen. A tale which she was supposed to make Elrohir believe.  
  
"Just when I had single-handedly defeated twelve Olipaunts of the Haradrim cavalry, a whole battalion fierce Orcs mounted on giant wargs swept towards me, but I could not let them take the fair damsel to be married to the foul Orcish leader. I stood true and with the only weapon I had remaining, my bow, I triumphed, the small clearing littered with the bodies of my defeated foes."  
  
Esmiel rolled her eyes and almost began to laugh. With that small lapse, Elrohir's eyebrows rose in disbelief, quickly she reinstated her suggesting of credence, and he listen on interested and astonished. At first this had been difficult as Elrohir was far from gullible, she had to concentrate and small distractions caused him to be sceptical.  
  
"Why brother what an amazing adventure I only wish I had been there as well." Elrohir sighed in disappointment.  
  
Elladan grinned and began to laugh, "Well done Esmiel!"  
  
Elrohir looked over at her in confusion.  
  
"I apologise Elrohir," she said, ceasing the flow of suggestion, "Think about the story Elladan just told you, did you really believe any word of it?"  
  
Elrohir's eyes widened, he blushed and glared at Elladan, who laughed.  
  
"Please brother, it was Esmiel who made you believe it." he said, innocently.  
  
They both looked over at her, Elrohir eyes wide and questioning, Elladan with a broad grin on his face  
  
Esmiel sighed, and shook her head. 'Magnificent', she thought, 'Now I have to deal with two of them.' She looked up and laughed.  
  
A/N Random comment here, just thought I'd mention that wilin (pronounce vilin ) is my favourite elvish word, it means 'I fly.' 


	4. Tasks Before You

A/N Hey peoples I am back, sorry if this one is a bit rough I got the writers bug for a while last night and stayed up past 2 writing this ( and I have the feeling if I look over it I'll start rampantly deleting things anyways please enjoy. Flames are welcome, if you hate this just tell me. :p  
  
After two weeks Esmiel had had more then she could bear. She had begged a favour of Adulómiel, a handsome high born elf maiden. It was just after the morning meal. At the door of the dining hall Esmiel looked over her should for a moment. Adulómiel was holding Elrohir's attention easily with her slivery laugh and shining eyes.  
  
Elladan however, smiled politely when they attempted to engage him in their conversation and glanced over to where Esmiel had been sitting. Esmiel groaned and tried to edge away from the door before he looked up, but before she could take more then a half step backwards his eyes rose to meet hers.  
  
The chase was on.  
  
Esmiel hurried through the bustling hallway, careful not to push or shove excessively. As soon as possible she turned in to the twisting, maze-like hallways of Rivendell's main household. I quick glance over her shoulder showed Elladan wading through the crowd eyes fixed on her. She sighed and hurried towards one of the less populated corridors. Turning into a hallway that led to one of the summer amphitheaters overlooking the falls, she began to run, as quietly as possible. Few people came here at this time of year, especially at this hour of the morning.  
  
Turning yet again she ducked in to secluded alcove and sank silently down on the settee in the far corner. A few moments later there came the sound of light running footsteps. Esmiel rolled her eyes, she should have known. Without fail he walked straight into her hiding place and sat down by her.  
  
"Trying to escape today's exercises?" he asked raising his eyebrow, with a grin.  
  
She grinned back, "Oh no I just thought that a lively run through the corridors would be a good way to warm up for the morning."  
  
"What a splendid idea!" Elladan exclaim eyes alight with mock enthusiasm, "We must add this to your daily routine."  
  
Esmiel gave a long suffering groan.  
  
Elladan laughed, "Are we honestly that terrible?"  
  
"No I suppose not... Just a little over enthusiastic sometimes." She said smiling. "Just one day of holiday?" she asked eyes wide and winsome. "Oh please Elladan?"  
  
He threw back his head in laughter, "Oh I suppose so. If I said no you'd probably use your new training against me."  
  
Esmiel suddenly became very serious, "I don't think I could Elladan, use this talent against you.. or anyone. Not to deliberately manipulate, not unless it was entirely necessary or to help. I simply do not think I would be able to."  
  
"But what about when you made Elrohir believe that inconceivable story? Or the couple in the garden."  
  
Esmiel furrowed her brow for a moment, "This may sound like pure sophistry but, the differences were there. When I was enhancing your story I knew that we would tell Elrohir straight afterwards, and the couple. Well," She smiled slightly, "They definitely wouldn't have been comfortable in that grove." She grimaced, "Now that I am thinking of it that may be one of the reasons why I tried to," Esmiel looked at him sideways, "Escape, this morning."  
  
Elladan smiled, stood and bowed, "So then, My Lady, what wouldst thou do upon thine day of rest? An it please thee, I would be honoured to accompany thee on whatever leisurely activities thou shouldst wish to pursue. Or," he continued in a devastated voice, "An it please thee, I will make mineself scarce and become desolate at the knowledge that mine presence is unsavoury to thee." He said with a flourish, offering her his arm.  
  
Esmiel stifled a laugh, "Kind Sir, thine presence could no more be unsavoury then could the stars fail to shine... unless of course you're coming up with exercises." She smiled softly, "I think what I really wish to do is ride out for the day, it has been such a long time since I left Rivendell. I would very much like to ride through the woods a way and maybe do some light hunting."  
  
"Splendid," Elladan said, "Let us leave now before everyone has finished the morning meal and begun the day."  
  
"What about Elrohir?" Esmiel was innately aware of the bond between the brothers, which in some ways was even more elemental then her own talents. The one was always aware of the others needs.  
  
Elladan laughed, "The diversion you arranged is keeping him very well entertained."  
  
Esmiel blushed thinking of the elegantly flirtatious Adulómiel, with her flaxen hair and startlingly blue eyes. Compared to which Esmiel found her own ash green eyes and rusty brown hair decidedly lacking.  
  
Shaking her head Esmiel pushed such useless thoughts aside at the sound of footsteps. Her mind was suddenly assaulted with feelings of shock, terrible anxiety and, though she had rarely received it before, fear. Reflexively she grabbed Elladan's arm sending him sprawling back onto the seat almost right into her lap. She felt her fingers dig almost convulsively into his arm, weak in the grip of these powerful projections.  
  
Elladan made as if to speak, but something in her face silenced him. Soon voices could be heard along with the footsteps.  
  
"What do you mean by this Gandalf?" it was Lord Elrond. Elladan looked at her wide eyed, both knew they should not be listening, but neither could not. Esmiel knew this must be something momentous, for nothing else could unnerve Lord Elrond Halfelven so. She concentrated all her will on discerning the nature of his anxiety.  
  
"My Lord Halfelven, we have all felt it, you, I and every member of the Council of the Wise. There is a darkness growing far to the East. Together we of the Wise were able to focus on and it is far more terrible then we could have imagined."  
  
Esmiel was hit by fear like a knife in the back. Suddenly her mind was assailed with images, hundreds dying on the slopes of a mountain that spewed fire and molten rock. Men, Elves and Orcs all died cut down in the frenzy of battle.  
  
Unconsciously she pressed her face into the front of Elladan's tunic, her fingers dug even deeper into his arm. She felt his free arm come around her shoulders and tighten sharply, vaguely she realised that she was unconsciously transmitting what she saw to him.  
  
Words rang sharply through her mind, We cannot face this again. Then slowly the images dissipated, as he to whom they belonged struggled to get them under control.  
  
She heard Elrond force out the words, "The old enemy is arisen?" Her senses still attuned she felt a terrible mixture, sorrow, relief, dread and uncertainty from Elrond's companion.  
  
"No Elrond. This darkness is something new. Something we have no knowledge of. Something that could be worse then Sauron and all the evil he could muster." When the images came this time they were fainter, Elrond's companion seemed to have enormous control, yet still terrible a darkness seething and growing, far away yet but growing, growing.  
  
And then they were gone, moving away along into a side passage and out of earshot. Esmiel was finally able to disentangle her mind from theirs. She realised that she had soaked the front of Elladan's tunic with tears and she felt a similar wetness where his head was buried in her hair.  
  
But she could not move, not yet. Her mind was still full of images and words. These were older and sweeter then those of Elrond and his companion, yet no less terrible. Her mother had told her she would know her task and now she knew.  
  
Slowly she released her death grip on Elladan's arm, but her energy was completely sapped, she could not bring herself to even lift her head from against his chest let alone move away from the supporting circle of his arm. With his now free arm, Elladan lifted her chin and made her look into his eyes.  
  
"You are not going alone!" 


	5. Journey Begins

(A/N Hi all sorry I've been gone for so long. I've had really bad computer problems and then I had exams and well yeah things got kinda crazy please you have my sincerest apologies and I beg of you to review.)  
  
Esmiel sat down for a moment trying to collect her scattered thoughts Elladan stood at the door of her chambers. He had tried to dissuade her from leaving today saying they should wait for at least a day, but something told her there could be no waiting. Already he had a pack of essentials and a meagre bag of travel rations, they would have to manage with foraging and hunting.  
  
She felt empty, painfully emotionless and drained utterly of energy, but there was no time for rest. They must leave and now she told herself sternly. She stood and stuffed another pair of warm breaches and a thick tunic into her pack.  
  
Esmiel pulled a warm cloak from the wall and fastened it with a silver pin of intricate interlocking lines that her mother had given to her long ago. She had worn it rarely prefer a less ornate and serviceable pin, but found now that she had not the heart to leave it behind. At her belt hung a sharp plain hilted knife, a water flask and spacious belt pouch a gift from her father long ago. Hurrying to the door she slung her bow and quiver over her shoulder. She nodded to Elladan and they were off towards the stables.  
  
Despite the force that was urging Esmiel to hurry they had waited until it was near evening and bustle of the day had quieted. Their frugal supplies gave weight to their story that they were off on a small hunting expedition and all was as planned until they reached large stables of Rivendell.  
  
Coming down the aisle leading three oh so familiar horses was Elrohir, grinning broadly.  
  
Elladan stepped forward, his face livid, "What are you doing here?" he hissed.  
  
"You didn't think you could leave me behind did you brother?" Elrohir grinned impudently.  
  
Her senses, still strangely, attuned picked up relief from both of them. They each knew that they would both be going with her, the anger and cheek was just for show. At any other time she would have let them have their fun and smiled at the bond between them, but her own emotions seemed simply absent. Some small part of her was screaming that this was wrong, that this dull emptiness was more painful then any hurt or sadness she had ever felt but at this time she simply did not have enough energy to care.  
  
"Please, both of you. We all know that Elrohir is coming along, Please let us just leave."  
  
Startled at the hollowness of her voice, they both fell silent. She walked over to Elrohir and took her horse, barely noticing the saddle (A/n ok I know elves don't use saddles, but what else was I supposed to call them. Picture a sort of riding blanket, not a saddle no stirrups or girth. Just a soft semi-padded blanket with a light sercingle probably spelt wrong and bags can be connected to this contraption. Enough babbling back to the story.) full of provisions, then silently lead the way out of the stable and into the courtyard.  
  
When Esmiel reached the gates, where she must mount, her strength faltered. Leaning her head against her mare's neck, her resolve fled and it was all she could do to remain standing. Feeling a hand on her shoulder she turned around slightly, and then Elladan was lifting her up onto the horse's back. Slowly her strength began to return and she was able to smile down at Elladan and at Elrohir who, already mounted, was waiting patiently looking at her, both were projecting worry at her condition and she tried to smile reassuringly.  
  
Then Elladan mounted and they were away, there was no need to think only to concentrate on keeping her seat and following Elrohir's back as he led the way. As they had left late in the morning they planned only to reach a sheltered clearing often used by hunting parties, here they planned to rest for the night. But even this short ride wore Esmiel strength down alarmingly.  
  
It wasn't until they stopped at the clearing the Esmiel realised the thumping sound she'd been hearing was her heart and not the horses' hooves on the path. She was vaguely aware of Elladan and Elrohir dismounting and she tried to do the same, but when her feet reached the ground she found that her legs simple wouldn't support her and she sat down heavily. At a touch on her shoulder she looked up at the twins, one of them, for the first time ever she could not tell the difference between them, seemed to be speaking to her but she couldn't hear anything. Opening her mouth she realised she couldn't speak and suddenly her emotions came flooding back, her mind overloaded with exhaustion and fear. It was too much her already exhausted mind reached its limits. Esmiel closed her eyes and slid into oblivion. 


End file.
